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Leptin in the Placenta

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Leptin and Reproduction

Abstract

Leptin is a polypeptide hormone that is clearly involved in the regulation of body mass by suppressing appetite and stimulating energy expenditure. The placenta is known to be an important source of circulating leptin, and leptin, also produced by primary cultures of human amnion cells is secreted into the amniotic fluid. Leptin concentration increases throughout human gestation, peaks in the second trimester and remains high until parturition. On the other hand, a decline in leptin mRNA abundance in syncytiotrophoblast is a common feature of advancing gestational age. In situ hybridization has indicated that leptin, OB-RL, and OB-Rs mRNA transcript expression is limited to the endocrinologically active trophoblast, thus the syncytiotrophoblasts layer covering placental villi. Placental leptin is also released into the fetal circulation. Leptin is shown to act as a regulator of fetal weight and growth and as an important regulator of maternal and placental weight. Leptin may also be associated with mechanisms mediating lactation and neonatal growth. In the placenta, it could act in an autocrine way as a growth hormone (GH) and growth factor for angiogenesis. During the invasion phase of human implantation, leptin has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of hCG production by cytotrophoblastic cells (CTB), in the switching of the integrin repertoire and in stimulating metalloprotease activity. Leptin production is modulated by interleukin (IL)-1β and 17β-estradiol. A novel role for leptin as an autocrine/paracrine regulator of the invasion phase of human implantation may be proposed. Trophoblastic leptin could be an inducer of the secretion of metalloproteinases (MMP) and a modulator of the expression of integrins conferring an invasive phenotype to CTB. This review focuses on the role of leptin in the placenta and more specially in trophoblast invasion.

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  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Geneva, USA

    Dorina Islami & Paul Bischof

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  2. Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas, USA

    V. Daniel Castracane

  3. Diagnostic Systems Laboratories, Inc., Webster, Texas, USA

    V. Daniel Castracane

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Islami, D., Bischof, P. (2003). Leptin in the Placenta. In: Henson, M.C., Castracane, V.D. (eds) Leptin and Reproduction. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0157-2_13

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